The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security (previously the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative) is an institute at

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the fou ...

that works to end the recruitment and use of

child soldiers Children (defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child as people under the age of 18) have been recruited for participation in military operations and campaigns throughout history and in many cultures. Children in the military, includ ...

. The initiative was founded by Roméo Dallaire and

Jacqueline O'Neill Jacqueline O'Neill is a Canadian diplomat from St. Albert, Alberta. She is Canada's first Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, and a co-founder of the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative. Early life and education O'Neill is from S ...

in 2007, and is situated in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...

with offices in

Kigali Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwa ...

, Rwanda and Juba, South Sudan.

Activities

The Dallaire Institute conducts research, and partners with governments to deliver military and police training on the prevention of children from being recruited and used in conflict. They also conduct training on how to disarm child soldiers. In 2016, fifteen veterans of the

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

were chosen to train workers in war zones in how to safely defuse confrontations with child soldiers. In 2019, the Institute worked with the

to create a Center of Excellence at the Canadian Defence Academy, called the

Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security Canadian Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan announced the creation of the Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security on June 25, 2019. The Centre of Excellence is located at the Canadian Defence Academy, and former General and ...

. That same year, the Dallaire Initiative took over the international programmes of Child Soldiers International when that organization closed. And the Dallaire Initiative also opened an African Centre of Excellence in Kigali, Rwanda. In 2021, the Dallaire Institute announced a new Latin America Centre of Excellence for Children, Peace, and Security in Uruguay.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web , url = https://www.powercorporationcommunity.com/en/projects/community-development/romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-initiative/ , title = The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative , work = Power Corporation , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20141126213538/https://www.powercorporationcommunity.com/en/projects/community-development/romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-initiative/ , archivedate = 26 November 2014 , accessdate = 25 January 2020 , url-status = live , quote = Founded by Roméo Dallaire, retired Lieutenant-General, noted humanitarian and Canadian Senator, the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative is a global partnership committed to ending the use and recruitment of child soldiers worldwide, through a prevention-oriented approach. Power Corporation has supported the Dallaire Initiative since 2007. {{cite news , url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-romeo-dallaire-says-current-approach-to-ending-use-of-child-soldiers/ , title = Roméo Dallaire says approach to ending use of child soldiers is not enough , work =

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

, author = Sam Mednick , date = 25 November 2018 , location =

Juba, South Sudan Juba () is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State. It is the world's newest capital city to be elevated as such, and had a populatio ...

, archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20181126014927/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-romeo-dallaire-says-current-approach-to-ending-use-of-child-soldiers/ , archivedate = 26 November 2018 , accessdate = 25 January 2020 , url-status = live , quote = His visit marked the launch of a three-year program by the Canada-based Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative. The $2.2 million project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to work with at least 1,200 South Sudanese soldiers, police and prison staff. The first round of training will include 50 senior army officers. {{cite news , url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dalhousie-university-halifax-romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-1.3666721 , title = Dalhousie program trains troops to disarm child soldiers without violence , work =

CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca. ...

, author = Nina Corfu , date = 6 July 2016 , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160706162214/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dalhousie-university-halifax-romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-1.3666721 , archivedate = 6 July 2016 , url-status = live , accessdate = 25 January 2020 , quote = Fifteen Canadian veterans will spend the next few weeks in Halifax learning how to train others to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers, and disarm those who make it to the frontlines. {{cite news , url = https://globalnews.ca/news/4696392/south-sudan-child-soldiers-romeo-dallaire/ , title = Ex-senator Romeo Dallaire talks new approach to ending child soldiers' use in South Sudan , work =

Global News Global News is the news and current affairs division of the Canadian Global Television Network. The network is owned by Corus Entertainment, which oversees all of the network's national news programming as well as local news on its 21 owned-and ...

, author = Sam Mednick , date = 25 November 2018 , location =

, archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20181125154017/https://globalnews.ca/news/4696392/south-sudan-child-soldiers-romeo-dallaire/ , archivedate = 25 November 2018 , accessdate = 25 January 2020 , url-status = live , quote = His visit marked the launch of a three-year program by the Canada-based Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative. The $2.2 million project funded by Global Affairs Canada aims to work with at least 1,200 South Sudanese soldiers, police and prison personnel. The first round of training will include 50 senior army officers. {{cite news , url = https://www.cmfmag.ca/policy/canadian-government-invests-in-romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-initiative/ , title = Canadian Government invests in Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative , work =

Canadian military families magazine Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

, author = Mishall Rehman , date = 25 June 2019 , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200125052332/https://www.cmfmag.ca/policy/canadian-government-invests-in-romeo-dallaire-child-soldiers-initiative/ , archivedate = 25 January 2020 , accessdate = 25 January 2020 , url-status = live , quote = Additionally, the Canadian Armed Forces, in partnership with the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, will be creating a Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security, within the Canadian Defence Academy. Non-profit organizations based in Canada Organizations for children affected by war 2007 establishments in Nova Scotia Organizations established in 2007